Gather Together and God Bless
by Kara
Summary: At Thanksgiving, Tinga thinks of her family, and how even X-5s have something to be thankful for. Utter holiday foof.


Gather Together and God Bless

  
By Kara

Rating: PG  
Spoilers: Thru Kidz at the most  
Disclaimer: You know the drill, I know the drill, the Titanic sank, but Mr. Cameron still owns these babies.  
Summary: Even X-5s have something to celebrate at Thanksgiving

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Is it done yet, Mommy?" Case watched Tinga pull the turkey out of the oven with wide hazel eyes. "It smells good."

"Looks like it might be done." The thermometer had popped out of the side of the turkey, indicating that it was the proper temperature. Tinga could feel her stomach rumbling in anticipation. She loved food, especially food that looked and smelled as good as the turkey. 

"Teacher said that turkey's good for you," Case announced as he climbed up onto the counter. "But sometimes it makes you sleeping cause of the Trypt--Trypt--"

"Tryptophan," Tinga corrected automatically. "It's a neural transmitter that helps boost the seratonin levels in your brain, so that you don't have seizures."

"So it's good for you, Mommy, when you get your shakes?" Tinga didn't like the all too knowing look that appeared on her five year old son's face. Case was already advanced for his age, and she doubted that she'd be able to hide it from Charlie or anyone else for much longer. It was bad enough that he saw her seizures. Charlie just thought it was epilepsy. Tinga hoped that the stories she told Case would help them both understand someday, in case she did have to leave.

She tore a small piece of turkey breast off and gave half of it to Case. "It's very good for Mommy. Turkey and milk always make me feel better."

Case's small arms closed around her neck as he buried his face in her shoulder. "Then you have to drink all your milk, mister, cause you need to stay healthy and grow strong."

"I will, baby, I promise." Someone had to be strong for her family. She had almost six wonderful years with Charlie and Case, and almost ten years of freedom. She couldn't ask for anything else.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"It looks great, Penny." Charlie gave her a gentle kiss before sitting down in front of the turkey. There wasn't much food on the table aside from the roasted turkey breast and some vegetables Tinga found at the market. It probably wasn't quite the Thanksgiving dinner that her husband was used to, but it was still a family meal and a time to give thanks--not that she ever forgot how much she had to be thankful for.

"Can we eat it yet, Daddy?" Case sat on an old phone book, his small hands already gripping fork and knife as he stared at the turkey. "It smells good. It smells better than the bakery when Mommy's working, and it's good for us because it has Tryptophan so Mommy won't have her shakes so much."

Charlie's worried eyes met Tinga's over the turkey. "You didn't have another seizure, did you, Penny?" The seizures didn't come often, but Charlie had seen her through the worst of them. A particularly bad one had caused premature labor, and Case was born nearly a month early. 

"I'm fine, honey. I promise." She flashed her brightest Penny smile at him, trying to imitate the one Jondy always used to weasel her way out of Zack. "It's almost time to eat, Case Benjamin Smith. We have to say grace first."

Case nodded as he put down his fork and knife. "Can I say it this year? I'm big now, and I r'member how Daddy says it." And without an answer, Tinga's son bowed his head and folded his hands.

_Dear God. Thank you for all the food we have, cause some people don't have any._

Images flashed through Tinga's mind of those months after the escape, the constant hunger and fear that drove her from town to town. X-5s could handle about a week without food. She could remember training missions where they'd get nothing to eat for days. But those first few months were the hardest for her, especially since she had Brin to watch out for.

_Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and our apartment and my bed, cause some kids have to sleep on the floor and in the street, and they don't have mommies and daddies who work in a bakery and smell good all the time._

Her first bed had been a mattress on the floor with one blanket and one hard pillow. The first time she ever slept in a real bed after the Pulse, she almost couldn't sleep because it was too soft. Even now, Tinga still woke up at night and kicked off the heavy covers, because her body was used to that one thin blanket and small pillow. She'd slept in more places than she wanted to count over the years, but she would never forget that pallet on the floor, lying between Ben and Tawny at night.

_Thank you for my school and my friends and my family and everyone being safe. Thank you for making Mommy and Daddy kiss and make up after they fought last week, cause Janey Grey's daddy left, and her mommy's all alone, and I don't want to be left alone ever._

It had been four years since Zack told her to move on. He took one look at Case's small face and turned around in disgust. "You're weak, soldier. You're letting all this emotional shit drag you down, and the rest of you with us. Don't blame me if you wind up back at Manticore, sharing a luxury suite with your baby. Don't come crying to me."

It was inevitable. She'd have to leave her son eventually, but Tinga wanted all the time she could have with Case, to prepare him for those days when she wouldn't be there. Nothing lasted forever, and Happily Ever After wasn't in an X-5's vocabulary. No day but the one she was living in. And she was going to live it for as long as she could.

_God bless Mommy and Daddy, and Aunt Mandy and Uncle George and Jason and Jenny and Tyler. God bless Teacher and dead Gramma and Grampa Smith, and the kids in class and Mrs. Peterson who lives upstairs and gives me cookies._

Tinga caught Charlie hiding a smile behind his folded hands. He looked up and met her eyes, love shining so bright in his face that it hurt. She didn't want to leave him, but he didn't even know who she really was. I love you, Penny, he mouthed, but Tinga would've given the world to hear him say her real name.

_And God bless all of mommy's brothers and sisters, and all the princes and princesses who are still stuck at the castle._

Uncle Zack…

Zack looked at Jondy over his turkey sandwich. She had gravy dripping down her face and onto her blue tank top. The tank top matched the color of her eyes, but he'd never tell her that. She'd just hit him, and then they'd fight, and then he'd wind up in bed with her again. She was beautiful, but he'd never admit that to her. It hurt to admit it to himself. But she was, and he was thankful she did talk him into staying in San Francisco for Thanksgiving, shitty holiday that it was.

_Uncle Zane…_

"Millie, I promise I'll give you some. Let me unwrap it first." His German Shepard sat at his feet, looking up at Zane with pleading brown eyes. "I'm hurrying as fast as I can, girl." With one final tug, the tinfoil fell off the warmed turkey breast. He slid half of it into the bowl on the counter, smothering it with the last bits of stale bread and a little gravy. "Happy Thanksgiving, girl. One more year of freedom for both of us."

_Uncle Tawny…_

Tawny held up his half-empty mug of beer and looked at his untouched turkey dinner. It was a hell of a lot better than the shit at Manticore, but he didn't have the stomach for it tonight. Jack was on his mind again. It was almost that time of year again, when he wondered what he could've done to prevent Jack's death. "For you, little brother," he muttered as he held up the glass. "For you, and for all the others in Hell. We made it out. Thank you."

_Aunt Syl…_

"Shit!" Syl reached for the fire extinguisher before the smoking turkey set the fire alarm off. Since she wasn't technically supposed to be in the apartment, she didn't want to tip anyone off. But it was twenty degrees outside and snowing, and fuck if she was gonna spend Thanksgiving in the cold. She blew foam off the turkey and put the hot plate aside. Maybe her jury-rigged wiring went wrong somewhere. Or you really weren't meant to grill turkey on a hot plate… It was still food. And the foam kind of added to the flavor.

_Aunt Max…_

"And this is what?" Max stared at the bright orange concoction dubiously. "It looks like someone horked in the pan and covered it with pineapple."

"It's sweet potatoes," Logan answered with patience, holding out a forkful to it. "Try it. It's good."

Max eyed it one more time before opening her mouth. "If this tastes nasty, you're gonna be wearing it," she warned, closing her eyes. A look of surprise washed over her face. "Not bad, Chef Cale. Too bad I can't patent your ass as a cook and make some cash off you." She grinned, reaching for another forkful.

_Uncle Krit…_

"It's mine," Krit growled, clutching the last turkey to his chest. He didn't reach for the gun in his pocket, but the older woman backed off just the same. Maybe you couldn't take the soldier out of the man. Or he'd never shake off all those old Manticore habits. It was the old lady's fault anyway, for trying to get between him and food. Thanksgiving was sacred, for Chrissakes.

_Aunt Jondy…_

Jondy stared at the can of whipped cream and tried not to think naughty thoughts. Whipped cream went on pie, not on Zack. It wasn't her fault that she was in heat. She never thought he'd actually say yes to staying for dinner. He never stayed, and when he did, it always managed to trigger her heat. She moaned softly as Zack licked the last of his pumpkin pie off his fork. He looked up, startled. After a moment, he put down his plate and fork, blue eyes darkening. "Good thing I stopped by, huh?" His usual scowl was gone for a change. One more thing to be thankful for…

_Uncle Jet…_

Jet stared out at the water. Somewhere across the ocean, Americans were sitting down to a measly dinner of whatever turkey byproducts they could find, all in the name of tradition. He didn't have much use for traditions. He had plenty to be thankful for, but he didn't need a single day to be reminded of that. He knew it with every breath he took, and every morning that he woke up at the time he designated. His only mission was to stay free, and his duty was to himself. _Thank you, Zack, for getting us out, and for making sure we stay out. God bless you, big brother._

Uncle Eri… 

"I'm pregnant, Eric." Beth's eyes were red and worried. Eri felt his heart start to pound. A baby. If Manticore found out…and who knew how the baby would even come out. Case was normal, but there was no guarantee what his whacked out genes would manifest. 

He took Beth in his arms, not knowing what else to do. "We'll get through it, baby. I promise." There was bad genes in Beth's family too. Her sister was born autistic, and her nephew had some brain dysfunction. Their baby could wind up a vegetable with seven fingers and a tail. But it was a piece of him, and damned if he was gonna let Manticore screw up every part of his life. "We'll get through it." And they would, somehow. That's what family was about. Getting through it together.

_Aunt Brin…_

Brin stared at her plate, turning over the congealed white mess with her fork. There was something about today--something happened, but she couldn't figure out what. It was probably some Outside thing, some little meaningless ritual that norms did. She might've even done it, when she was living outside in that filth. No wonder they had holidays. There was nothing else to brighten their dismal existence. At least back home, she had food and warmth and people who took care of her. She was in charge of her own life, and she was fulfilling the mission. Duty. Objective. The words flashed in front of her eyelids until she couldn't remember why she felt so melancholy. Maybe her meds were off again. Or maybe it was the weather. At least she could be thankful that she wasn't living on the streets anymore.

_Uncle Ben…_

New York was a great town. People were so obsessed with getting to their destination that they never noticed they were being tracked. The packed sidewalks only made the hunt more exciting. Ben could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he followed behind the dark-haired man. The man's pale neck almost seemed to taunt him, unmarked and untainted. 

"Happy Thanksgiving, son!" Someone reached out and patted him on the shoulder as he hurried past, muttering an apology for knocking into him. For a moment, Ben thought about his brothers and sisters, scattered across the country like lost sheep. Maybe the Blue Lady was looking out for them still. Hopefully this sacrifice would make her happy again.

_God bless everyone in the world and their families and their friends and their mommies and daddies. And thank you for my family and our food, world without end, Amen._

Case looked up from his folded hands, a surprised look on his face. "Why are you crying, Mommy?"

Tinga shook her head as she wiped her eyes. "It was just a really nice prayer, baby. You've got a lot to be thankful for."

A slow smile filled Case's small face. "Does this mean we can eat now?"

Charlie laughed. "Dig in, Case." He leaned over, and Tinga felt a kiss on her temple. "Happy Thanksgiving, baby."

Picking up her fork, Tinga began to slice into the turkey that Charlie slid onto her plate. _ I know you don't exist anywhere, Blue Lady, but if you do…_

God bless all of us, and keep us safe for one more year. And thank you for giving us the years we've had, together and apart. 

The End


End file.
